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: Orlando, Fla.: Mr. Greene was an integral part of my childhood in the late 70s. I moved with my parents from Florida, to the 'Big' city of DC.
Like most families, as we prepared for our day, we listened to the radio for traffic, weather and the morning news. Petey Greene was always there.
But what amazed me most was that he was on the Radio with his own show. This was unheard of where I had come from.
Even though his subject matter concerned issues that were far and above my understanding at that time, I felt good just listening to a black man on the radio. A black man with his own show, who said what ever it was that needed to be said.
I'm glad to see that he is finally getting some recognition for being the pioneer that he was.
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Richmond, Va.: I live outside of Richmond now, but I'm originally from D.C. I met Petey Greene during an employment march that ended up at the Capitol where there were speeches and a gathering of celebrities and "lay people" alike. Everyone was involved. I was fortunate enough to sit up on the Capitol steps with celebrities that included, among others, Rachael Robinson, Bill and Camille Cosby and some of their daughters, Bobby Seale, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and many, many more who were not there to perform or be seen, but were there to support the cause. It was 1980, I believe. (This was during a time when we cared enough about each other to stand up, speak up and march to be seen and heard collectively as a people. Not like today where it's every person for themselves.) Anyway, while everybody else marched, Petey rode in a car which I thought was hilarious, but I ended up sitting beside him when we got to the Capitol. Petey was a man for the people. He was an intelligent man on and off the streets. Anyway, there was a collection taken up by Jesse Jackson and Operation PUSH, I believe. Petey whispered to me just as I was about to drop my money in the basket, "I wouldn't put my money in there if I were you. You don't know what they're going to do with that money." I leaned over and whispered back to him, "Well, me putting my money in there is between me and God. What they do with it is between them and God." He laughed hard and loud! I have never forgotten that exchange between him and I. And I had not met him before that day even though he grew up with cousins of mine who were much, much older than me.
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Mitchellville, Md.: When I first came to DC I was very lonely and homesick. All I did was work and listen to the radio. One day I found Pety Greene talking, and I never stopped listening to him until he died. When he was on TV, I watched him all the time. He helped me through the homesickness that I encountered during that time. Once you started listening to him, you could not stop. He was very addictive.
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Apex, N.C.: I was a white teenager and always watched Petey on Channel 20. He told it like it was. One time he had Howard Stern on his show. Howard painted his face Black and wore an Afro wig and had a boom box next to his ear. I thought Petey would tear him apart. Instead Petey engaged Howard in intellectual conversation and kept control of his own show. The show was insightful and funny. At the end of the show, Petey told Howard he was one cool cracker. I loved Petey. I doubt he could say the things he said on TV today. He truly said his mind.
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Washington, D.C.: I remember his sign off: "I don't want no crying or no signafying."
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Bowie, Md.: Howard Stern on the Petey Greene show was classic.
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Jacksonville, Fla.: Petey was the supervisor of my son's father Leroy Sams. They both were incarcerated at Lorton Correctional Facilty in Lorton, Va. Petey would stop by with Sam, when I pre-pared Seafood Gumbo or Bean with Pork Neck-bones. There was another J. Yates who would accompany them; this gentleman started the Efforts for Ex-Cons (EFEC) that was located in the 14/1500 Block of Ninth Steet, N.W. I'm so excited, it's about time some like Petey receives recongnition. These guys are examples for Excon's.
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Alexandria, Va.: I attended the premiere last night and what a treat it was! Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor were incredible and let's not forget Taraji Henson ... She was fabulous. I'm not from the DC area, so the movie was my first introduction to Petey Greene. He is a very intriguing guy and I'm very happy that his story was brought to the surface.
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Washington, D.C.: When I first heard that a movie was being made about Petey Greene with Don Cheadle playing Petey, I didn't think Cheadle could pull it off because Mr. Greene was so RAW and natural. After seeing the movie, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Don Cheadle did, in fact, pull it off. Taraji Henson was great!! As a proud DC native, I felt that the movie did a good job of capturing the true DC spirit from back in the day.
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Washington, D.C.: I'll never forget Petey Green's moto:
"I'm talking to the hot, talking to the cold, talking to the young and talking to the old".
Petey was such an inspiration to me as a teen growing up in Washington, D.C. I'm so glad this movie about him has come out.
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Washington, DC: I never met Petey, but I thought the movie was definitely one of the best, if not the best movie I've seen in a long time! It portrayed blacks in a positive light and showed that there is more to us than the stereotypical images we usually see. Chiwetel and Don were fantastic, and Taraji held it down with her beautiful self! I'd definitely recommend this movie! You won't be disappointed.
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Laurel, Md.: I attended the screening at the Regal theater. There was a discussion following the film which I thought could have been more directed to the audience where there were persons who knew Petey both in an out of Lorton. It might have been wise for Don Cheadle and the producers to run an ad in the Post asking for those who knew Petey to come in for an interview. This gives the flim lots of validity. Also the film was void of his early life as well as the girlfriend's. The use of profanity could have been less.
It is also my understanding that Petey never appeared on the Johnny Carson show, nor was the "Say it Now I'm Black and I'm proud" concert held in DC. The film did not show how Petey influenced the lives of fellow in mates or others within the Black community.
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Santa Monica, Calif.: I thought the movie was FANTASTIC! I don't cry during films, usually - but this one I did. It really gave a slice of what DC was like during that time, and how one man really influenced a city. I was in DC last week and attended the screening and discussion. What a testament to Petey that some of his "jail mates" came out to join in the discussion.
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